What do I need to fix my floor??

[grayharville]

Hey my name is Gray Harville and I live in a tiny town in Texas, I discovered this site a while back and have been lurking but never registered. Yesterday I got my third 73-87 chevy, a 1981 chevy stepside custom deluxe with a 350 and a slippin turbo 400, apperently the other owner didnt know how to roll the windows up when it rained because my floor is pretty rusted. This is where my main question is- I have a 83 silverado parts truck with a perfect floor, so would it be easier to cut the floor out of the parts truck to put in my stepside? Or buy replacement panels? Im not afraid of welding/fabricating and own a miller mig so i have that part covered. Please post all opinions this is my first time doing a repair like this. thanks yall

[choptop]

Welcome from West Texas. Don't know about the floor fix. I would replace the cab completely.

[80stepsideguy]

Welcome from flariduh, i say just replace the pieces with brand new panels and go from there, if your cowl was rusted pretty badi say yeah but i would replace the floor with new panels and while yer at it, if the rockers are good just replace the bad part where the weatherstriping is with some sheetmetal.

thanks
pat

[static22]

Oklahoma says hi. Do you have a welder that you feel comfortable using? If so it would be cheaper to fix the floors. It looks like you'll need a rocker on one side. Do your cab corners look alright?

[Pushrod]

Wow I haven't seen anybody makin those parts. Start with rockers and floorboards then its all fab from there. Hope you weld!

[Blazin]

Less work to buy patch panels, & fabricate small patches that reuse a used floor. Or swap the cab.
Welcome aboard from New Hampshaa. That thing looks like its from up here with that rust.

[grayharville]

thanks for the help so what all patch panels do i need to get??

[Blazin]

Chris has cab repair kits here.Also has singular parts. looks to me the large floor panels, inner and outer rockers. The kick panels are easy to make. How are the inner and out cab corners?

[grayharville]

Thanks Blazin, the cab corners are fine, no rust holes, a small spot that is starting to bubble on the drivers side, but i should be able to fix it, where do the inner rockers go?? is that the area right beneath the seat??

[Blazin]

Most floor pan patches come with part of them, the front section. They are the inner flat part on the back of the rocker panel.

[grayharville]

Thanks alot I think im gonna get both large floor panels, and probably some slip-on rockers and just cut out the rust beneath them. Will this be fine? Is there any other panels I need? I'm mainly worried about the drivers side where the weather stripping is attached,(5th picture from top) do they make a panel for that area?

[static22]

I've always believed you need to cut out the rust. Once it starts it is hard to contain and can infect good metal eventually. If you do the weld in rockers they will have the runner that the weather stripping sits over. I'm not sure as to the slip ons. I've done it and it's not that difficult (the rockers). My advice would be to do it sections. I wouldn't cut everything out and then start welding as this could cause some structual issues. I'll attach a pic of the rocker I replaced just in case.

[grayharville]

Thanks for the pic Static22, what all is involved in installing a complete rocker? from what ive seen you have to cut out the cab corner, is there a way around this??
i also noticed we have the same floormats lol they looked tacky in my 3/4 ton so i donated them to an s10 with no carpet I gotta recycle! saves money for the stepside

[Blazin]

Check out these pics.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q165/BlazinK30/Chevy%20truck%20rocker%20cab%20corner%20replace/

http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q165/BlazinK30/Chevy%20floor%20rocker%20cab%20corner%20replace/

To do a complete rocker you will need to remove the fenders. The cab corner does go over the rocker. If the rocker is not rusted back there it could be sectioned in.

[grayharville]

Ok thanks for the info, i think I'm going to get bothe large floor panels, and both slip on rockers. Anything else I need?? I'm trying to get my order right the first time so I don't have to return, buy another panel, etc.